Echo
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the listener. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, a building, or the walls of enclosed and empty rooms.
Meaning & Origin of Echo
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the listener. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, a building, or the walls of enclosed and empty rooms.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Echo
As a girl name
Echo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1984, when 182 Echos were born — ranking #845 that year. As of 2026, Echo ranks #1,677 for girls with 123 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Echos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Echo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1996, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 56 Echos were born — ranking #2,466 that year. As of 2026, Echo ranks #3,374 for boys with 35 births, rising sharply (+35% over the past five years). In total, more than 435 Echos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Echo
Phonetically similar names — useful when Echo is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Echo
What does the name Echo mean?
How popular is Echo in 2026?
When was Echo most popular?
In which U.S. states is Echo most popular?
Is Echo a unisex name?
What names go well with Echo?
About the name Echo
Echo is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Echo's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #845. Use the chart and map above to compare Echo's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1984 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.